Andrew's mind raced, trying to piece together the implications of this altered timeline. If Rose's actions had changed, what other ripple effects might they encounter? He knew he needed to tread carefully, balancing his knowledge of the future with the unpredictable nature of this new reality. For now, his priority was to help Ethan find Rose and ensure her safety.
He approached his friend, who was trembling as he held the bloodied gauze.
"What do you think happened?" Ethan asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Andrew examined the bathroom carefully. There were no signs of a struggle, no other blood splatters. Just the single piece of gauze.
"It could be anything," Andrew said, trying to keep his voice steady. "A nosebleed, a small cut. Let's not jump to conclusions."
But even as he spoke, Andrew knew this was more than a minor injury. The amount of blood on the gauze suggested something more serious.
Ethan slumped against the bathroom wall, running his hands through his hair. "We need to find her, Andrew. What if she's hurt? What if she's..."
"We'll find her," Andrew said firmly, placing a reassuring hand on Ethan's shoulder. "Seeing that the blood is already dry, the wound must not be from today. And if she was able to take the gauze off, she must at least be well enough to move about. I saw some dirty dishes in the kitchen sink, so she also ate. That indicates, that she should have been well, don't you think?"
As he tried to calm Ethan down, Andrew's thoughts inevitably drifted to the mystery of the changed occurrences. He was certain he had behaved and acted in the same manner as in his past life. Nothing could even remotely warrant such changes on this end—not even the famous butterfly effect. Where there was no origin, there could be no result. Since he could rule himself out as the cause, only one conclusion remained: there had to be someone else. Someone like him, with memories of the past, who was now altering the future. The only question was - who?
Thankfully, Ethan was still perceptive to reason. He eventually nodded, his expression softening slightly. "You're right. Thanks for keeping a level head." He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "We should check with the neighbors, see if they've seen her. Especially Luke, the neighbors` boy, he has hawk-eyes. Maybe he knows something."
"I think that would be a good start. For now let's try to stay calm and focused and don't panic." He helped Ethan up and patted him on the shoulder.
They left the bathroom and headed towards the front door. As they stepped outside, Ethan took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. Andrew scanned the neighborhood, his eyes sharp and alert.
"Let's start with the house next door," Ethan suggested, already moving towards their neighbors' residence. "If anyone's seen Rose, it'll be them."
Ethan's knuckles rapped sharply on the front door, his impatience evident in the rapid succession of knocks. The door swung open almost immediately, revealing a middle-aged woman with a worried expression. "Rob, have you found—" She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening as she saw the two men before her.
"Oh, Ethan, it's you," she said, attempting a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I thought you were Rob."
"Mrs. Kepler, I'm sorry to disturb you so late," Ethan said, his voice urgent. "But have you seen Rose? She's not at home and isn't answering her phone."
She paled. "What? Rose has vanished, too?"
Ethan and Andrew exchanged glances. "What do you mean, by too, Miss Kepler?"
"Our Luke is gone as well. We have no idea where he has run off to. Rob is trying to find him."
Ethan's face paled further at this news. "Luke is missing too? When did you last see him?"
Mrs. Kepler wrung her hands anxiously. "We think he left around noon. While we were watching the news he must have sneaked out. We haven't heard from him since. With all this portal business, we're worried sick."
Andrew's mind raced, processing this new information. If both Rose and Luke were missing, there could be a connection. He turned to Ethan, his voice low and urgent. "We need to check the park where the portal was sighted. They might have gone there together."
Ethan nodded, his expression a mix of worry and determination. "You're right. Mrs. Kepler, thank you for letting us know. We'll look for Luke too and let you know if we find anything."
"No," she said, grabbing her jacket from the side. "I will be coming with you. All this waiting makes me go crazy."
Andrew nodded, understanding Mrs. Kepler's need for action. "Of course, we'd appreciate your help. The more eyes we have looking, the better our chances of finding them quickly."
Ethan turned to his friend, determination replacing some of the worry in his eyes. "Let's go. We need to check that park immediately."
As they set off towards Riverside Park, Andrew couldn't shake the feeling that this altered timeline held more surprises in store for them. Not only had Rose been wounded, the neighbors she was supposed to flee with, were still here, while their son was missing. That didn't bode well.